Terming the killing of five farmers in June 6 police firing in Madhya Pradesh as "unfortunate", Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday alleged the Congress was politicising the issue and provoking farmers in that state.

"The incident was unfortunate. But provoking farmers and politicising such issues is absolutely incorrect," the Minister said on the sidelines of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' event organised in Kolkata to celebrate three years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

He also accused the Congress leadership in Madhya Pradesh of instigating violence by torching police stations in Mandsaur district.

"Three Congress MPs guided their activists to torch the police stations there. The video is out for everyone to see."

Responding to Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's tweet about travelling to Italy to meet his maternal grandmother, Radha Mohan Singh said: "While some Congress leaders are torching police stations, others are going abroad to their grandmother's house. There is no doubt that the country's people will unite to obliterate the Congress."

As for the Centre's initiatives for farmers' welfare, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Bihar said the government is focused on farmers' empowerment and has come up with several beneficial schemes for peasants in three years.

"We are heavily investing in several pro-farmer schemes so that they benefit from the agricultural field to the market. The government is taking initiatives to improve farm production and prepare a better market for produce," he said.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) went there to provoke the farmers. And now he is planning to go to his grandmother's house (in Italy). It is his decision to visit a relative, but what was the reason behind provoking the farmers?" he asked.

Earlier duing the day, Rahul Gandhi tweeted about taking a break from politics and going to Italy to meet his maternal grandmother.

--IANS

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